In the 1930's
and 1940's, well-heeled Parisians turned to designer Jean-Michel
Frank to ensure their homes reflected a unique style. Inspired by neoclassicism
and primitive arts, Frank took an approach to interior decorating and
furnishings marked by spare, rectilinear details and the use of unexpected
materials--picture vellum-sheathed walls as well as bleached-leather
and sharkskin furniture coverings. Because of his originality, Frank is
widely credited with reinventing decorative arts, and today he continues
to have a powerful influence on contemporary designers and progressive-minded
individuals.

In similar fashion,
when Cantieri di Pisa began building its various motoryacht series more
than 30 years ago, it introduced an austere exterior styling that stood
in marked contrast to the traditional designs being offered by other shipyards.
Whether those who bought the Italian yard's yachts--ranging
in size from about 39 feet to more than 100 feet--were nonconformists
or just craved something a little different, the styling met with success.

It would have been easy
for Cantieri di Pisa to adapt its styling in the ensuing decades; after
all, that's what most yacht builders do. But the yard's managers
and in-house naval architects believe there's a lot to be said for
having a consistent, signature look: low-profile, streamlined, even architectural,
particularly in comparison to the prevailing rounded shapes of today.

So it's no surprise
to learn, then, that a Frenchman looking for an out of the ordinary custom
motoryacht turned to both Cantieri di Pisa and an interior designer who
took his inspiration from Frank. The result is Element, which at
140 feet is the largest yacht built by the yard and also its first trideck.

You can tell you're
in for something different just by looking at how the name is painted
on the transom: all lower-case letters, in a typography that's at
once uncomplicated and neat. It gives the impression that Element
is, well, elemental.

That's certainly
an appropriate description for the way the interior design flows from
room to room--and, even more noteworthy, complements the exterior
styling. Think about the custom yachts you've seen; chances are
more than a handful come to mind where the rococo interior decor just
didn't harmonize with the aggressive exterior lines. Not so aboard
Element. The architectural emphasis flows right on through the
aft deck doors into the saloon (which also contains the dining area).
In fact, the influence of Frank is evident immediately. Instead of employing
traditional planks of paneling to cover bulkheads and creating a seamless
look by aligning the grains, the design team--comprised of the yard's
in-house department and the owner's interior designer, Frédéric
Mechiche--produced a block-like pattern with grains opposed for effect.